


Palomo's got two dads now

by Odds_Evens



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Adoption, Character Study, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Swearing, Tucker is a good dad, Wash is a dick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-12
Updated: 2016-06-12
Packaged: 2018-07-14 14:40:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7176077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Odds_Evens/pseuds/Odds_Evens
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Palomo hasn't exactly had an easy life. At 16 he's lost everyone he ever called family. </p><p>But then again, so has Agent Washington. Too bad Wash is shit at being a normal human being.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Palomo's got two dads now

**Author's Note:**

> Someone recommended one of my old favourite fics on Tumblr this morning and one of the last lines was "Now Palomo has two dads!"
> 
> So then this shit happened.
> 
> (I just want them to be happy, okay?)

 

Palomo had never been to Armonia before the raid. He grew up in a little farming community with his three older brothers, and when they all left to join the rebels, he went too.

He'd been twelve.

When the first brother died, he was promoted from dish washer to ration server.

When the second brother died, he picked up a gun for the first time.

When the third died, Palomo was out in the field doing recon with a few other soldiers his age. A few gave him sympathy hugs, but it was war. They'd all lost people.

He made friends, and the shared bunks most of the soldiers slept in helped keep some of the nightmares away, but it didn't change the fact that he was alone.

Then the Reds and Blues arrived and he was assigned to Captain Tucker's squad.

Captain Tucker who was mean and loud and complained too much about Palomo being clingy. But he never sent in that transfer request like he always threatened to. And when Palomo had nightmares, Tucker would be there to talk about it and calm him down.

But then Tucker and the other Reds and Blues went to save their friends and died. And the nightmares came back, and the other Leuitenants couldn't help.

And then they were all in Armonia fighting.

And then they found out Felix and Locus were working together and the captains were alive! And with their friends!

And Captain Tucker was alive! Oh wait he'd said that already.

That was last week.

Since then the two armies had called a truce and the rebels had moved into Armonia. The empty city had more then enough space for everyone, and even the lowest soldiers had their own room.

That last part wasn't quite as nice as Palomo had been expecting it to be.

The nightmares had been coming back more and more frequently, and it was getting to the point where Palomo didn't even want to go to sleep.

Before becoming one of the Leuitenants, if Palomo had a nightmare he'd just go share a bed with one of his friends and it would be better. After Cunningham and Rogers died, Tucker would let Palomo fall asleep next to him.

And if he called Tucker "dad" one time then that was something he didn't really want to think about.

But that's probably why he found himself standing awkwardly outside Captain Tucker's room at 2 in the morning, hand poised to knock on the door and quickly second guessing every decision he'd ever made up to that point.

But he was too exhausted to second guess himself to the point of changing his mind. He knocked twice and then waited.

To his surprise, an older man with dirty blonde hair and giant bags under his eyes answered the door. He blinked when he saw Palomo before narrowing his eyes in confusion. "Soldier? It's the middle of the night."

"I'm uh, looking for Captain Tucker?"

The blonde looked at him for a moment longer before disappearing back into the room. "Tucker? Tucker wake up."

"Mmm... Why?"

"There's a fed here for you."

"... She cute?"

Palomo rolled on the balls of his feet as he heard a hard THUD come from inside the room shortly followed by a shirtless Tucker appearing at the door, rubbing his sore cheek.

"Oh... Palomo."

"Hello Captain."

"Can't sleep?"

He shakes his head.

With a sigh, Tucker holds the door open for him. "Get in here. Bed's big enough for the three of us."

To his surprise, the blonde man steps in his way, blocking his entrance. "Tucker, no."

"Wash, it's fine."

Oh. Agent Washington. Well, looks like Bitters won the pot on that bet after all.

"Tucker he's a kid."

"He's 16, actually."

"What and that makes it okay? That's sick!"

Palomo figures out what Wash is thinking at the same time Tucker does. "Sir that isn't-"

"Washington what the _fuck_?"

Wash fidgets, as if just realizing he came to the wrong conclusion. "I just assumed-"

"What, that I'm some kind of sex criminal?"

"Well what was I supposed to think? You're inviting a kid into our bed."

"Palomo gets nightmares if he doesn't sleep with someone near him! Figured you'd at least understand that much."

Wash shuts up. Palomo's about to say something when Tucker grabs him by the wrist and pulls him into the room. He quickly pushes Wash OUT and slams the door in his face.

"Sir, I can leave if-"

"Shut up and get to sleep, Palomo."

"Yes sir."

\---

The next night, when Palomo starts walking toward Captain Tucker's room, he spots Tucker and Washington arguing in the hall.

He decides to sleep in Andersmith's room.

\---

Three days later, Palomo finds himself in training under a very pissed off Agent Washington. Thankfully, Washington's mad at Bitters, not him.

Until Jenkins opens her stupid, beautiful mouth that is.

"S'not hith fault thir. He'th tired cause it wath hith turn to watch Palomo!"

Palomo froze like a new republic soldier at the sound of Emily Grey's call (It was a new reference he'd heard that he fell in love with). When Washington's helmet turned toward him, he wanted nothing more then to disappear into the ground beneath his feet.

"Lieutenant Palomo, are you still having nightmares?"

"Not as much, sir." He lies. He thought he lied well.

He didn't.

"See me after training."

"Yes, sir."

No way in heck, sir.

\---

Palomo managed to avoid the older man for a good two hours before finding himself trapped in a dead-end hallway, Agent Washington at his heels.

He was going to die without anyone knowing. The Freelancer could probably turn his body into dust with just his eyes! Those were the rumours right? Or was it just Locus with that ability? Bitters had said-

"Lieutenant Palomo."

Focus on the now, Palomo.

"Oh hiiiii Agent Washington!" He spins around to face the grey and yellow soldier, all nervous energy and totally not checking around him for a place to hide. "Fancy seeing you here."

"We need to talk."

"About what, sir?" Oh god he was going to die slowly and horribly, wasn't he?

"How often do you have nightmares?"

Of all the ways this conversation could go, this was not one of the ways Palomo had been expecting.

"Um..." He figured it was better to just tell the truth. "Every night."

Something in the older soldier softens, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Being around other people helps?"

Palomo shrugs. "I just like knowing they're still alive. Doesn't always help, but it doesn't hurt."

"Yeah. I get that way too."

Again, not something Palomo was expecting. He stared at Agent Washington in shock. "You get nightmares, sir?"

"They're getting better now that I have my team back." Washington explains. "But they were really bad for a while. That's why I was sharing a bunk with Tucker at the start there."

Right. That's why. Palomo kept himself from rolling his eyes, forgetting Wash wouldn't be able to see it under his helmet anyway.

"Anyway, I'm uh, I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions the other night."

Holy shit will miracles never cease. Now the hard-ass Agent Washington was _apologizing to him._

"Oh! Uh, no biggie. It's fine."

"It isn't." Washington insists. "I shouldn't have accused you of something like that, and I was in the wrong. If you ever feel the need to be around someone or want to talk about it, just ask. You don't have to go through this alone, soldier."

Well then.

\---

Wash had said it was all right.

That's what Palomo tells himself as he stands outside of Captain Tucker's room, waiting for the door to be answered.

This time Tucker answers the door, shirtless again and braids out of their usual ponytail. "Palomo?"

Washington is at his side immediately, still pulling on a shirt and looking far too awake for the time of night. "Is everything all right? What's wrong?"

Suddenly everything was feeling far more awkward then it needed to be. "Oh it's nothing. I uh, should I go? I can go. I'm going to go."

He barely turns around before Washington's grabbing him and pulling him into the room.

And that's how Palomo found himself on a bed between his boss and his boss's... Boyfriend? Lover? Partner? Platonic life companion? Whatever. It was weird.

Wash breaks first. "This is so fucking weird."

"Yeeeaaahh."

"Oh my god, both of you shut up and go to sleep."

\---

The second time was easier.

By the third time, Palomo wakes up in the middle of the night from a nightmare already in Tucker's room. Tucker was pressed against Wash's chest, his back to Palomo as Wash slowly blinked awake.

Their eyes met and Wash furrowed his brows in worry. "Nightmare?"

Palomo nods and Wash pulls him back down so he was closer to them. He fell asleep listening to Tucker's heartbeat and feeling rather content about everything.

\---

"So I'm going to need you to bunk with Bitters or Andersmith tonight."

All good things must come to an end, Palomo mused as he tried (and failed) to keep the hurt from his voice. "Oh... Yeah, sure, Captain."

Tucker noticed the hurt and rolled his helmet in an exaggerated motion. "Don't be like that. It's just... Sometimes people get urges that can't be fulfilled when you're sharing a bed with a kid and... Y'know what, I'll explain it to you when you're older."

Palomo just blinked at him. "Sir, I know what sex is."

"Oh good."

"So you want me to take off so you can make sweet love to your boyfriend, sir?"

"God dammit, Palomo shut up!"

"Yes sir."

"... But yes. Exactly that."

\---

When Washington and Tucker finally "came out" as a couple, Palomo threw them a surprise party and made sure there was cake and everything.

When Dr. Grey gave Washington some home made remedies to help with sleep, he shared them with Palomo.

Tucker still called Palomo an idiot, but it wasn't really said with the same hatred that Palomo had been used to.

Washington and Tucker were out scouting when they got the call that Palomo was in surgery. He'd been in the main military garage when Jenkins ran him over.

\---

When Palomo wakes up, he felt a warmth on his right arm, and the sound of soft tapping on a screen from his left. It was dark outside, long past visiting hours, but Tucker and Wash were both still by his side, waiting for him to wake up.

None of that really struck Palomo as weird until the second time he wakes up, when Jenkins, Bitters and Andersmith are visiting.

"I'm tho thorry!'

"Katie it's just some scratches! It's fine!"

Of course that was the moment Dr. Grey decided to enter. Curse her perfect timing. "Actually the hit ruptured his spleen and nearly led to him dying from shock cause by all the internal bleeding! Truly fascinating how he lived."

Jenkins fainted right into Andersmith's arms and Palomo felt a pang of jealousy.

"Well, that's enough excitement for one day. Visiting hours are over! EVERYBODY OUT!"

It wasn't even dark yet.

Bitters asked the question that was on his mind. "But Dr. Grey, aren't Captain Tucker and Agent Washington supposed to come by later?"

"Well of course, sweetie. But visiting hours don't apply to Lieutenant Palomo's dads!"

Palomo didn't see that one coming.

\---

"It was Tucker's idea." Washington explains when Palomo finally asks.

"Actually it was Church's." Tucker counters. "He did all the paperwork for it too."

"Paperwork?" Despite getting answers, Palomo was more confused then ever before. "For what?"

Tucker rolls his eyes. "Your adoption, duh."

Oh.

Wait.

"You adopted me?!"

"He decided he didn't want to wait until visiting hours like a normal person." Washington explains. "And then he forged my signature to make me wait with him."

Palomo's face drops and Tucker shoots Washington a glare over his hospital bed. "Wash!"

"What?"

"Don't make our kid cry!"

"I am NOT making him cry."

Too late. Palomo was already tearing up. "You... You don't have to adopt me if you... If you don't want to..."

Washington registers what he said wrong and he sighs, putting a comforting hand on Palomo's shoulder. "It's not that. I just would have preferred talking to you about it first. See if you're okay with it."

When Palomo doesn't say anything, Tucker clears his throat. "Uh... Are you? Okay with all this, I mean."

Palomo actually has to think about that. "I don't remember my dad. He died when I was little. My mom did too."

If Washington's face could fall anymore, it did. He looked so sad. Palomo didn't like that.

"I think... Yeah, this is cool."

Washington's face lights up immediately, and Palomo can't help but smile too. Then Tucker's laughing and taking pictures with the little camera Grif found in some ruins. He's talking about some guy named "Jr" who Palomo has to meet, but he's too blitzed out and happy to really think about that too much.

He's got two dads now. That's way better then just one dad!


End file.
